Unlikely Allies
by Jak Cooper the Lombax
Summary: A partnership has been formed with Ratchet, the Savior of Space and Time, and a most unlikely ally to the hero. (Again, I suck at Summaries)
1. Chapter 1: The Agreement

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own works. Ratchet and Clank are owned by Insomniac Games and Sony.**

* * *

"Thram? Thram's in the Zarkov Sector. It's mostly populated by scrapers and nobodies. There's nothing on Thram."

"That's why I'm interested in it."

"I've been there. There's nothing there. Just a ghost planet."

"Do you have the same to say for the entire Zarkov Sector?"

"Yes and no. Yes, it's empty. However, it's not a ghost sector."

"But you just sai-"

"It's a Nether Sector. Or... At least it WAS a Nether Sector. I went out to the Nether hot spots again when the Prog affair was finished. Everything has gone cold Nether wise. As I said earlier, now home to scavengers and nomads. Occasional smuggler or two every now and then."

"Well then... What about Merdegraw?"

"Pirate Planet."

"There must be some planet eligible for our projects."

"I have a few options."

A thick folder is dropped onto the table and is slid from one five fingered hand to a three fingered hand. The owner of the three fingered hand opens the folder and sees several files of several uncharted and in the dark planets.

"Torren IV?"

"Home to a colony of Vullards, but they have measures to keep their scrap project out of the prying eyes of the authorities."

"Oozla's in the Bogon Galaxy. I'm not interested in MegaCorp technology."

"But, an empty store that could easily be turned into a multi-room lab with a ecosystem just waiting to be made from an empty swamp monster's lair could be useful for the study of large, rare, and mysterious creatures. And even a small area for testing technology."

"Okay, explain your reasoning of Fastoon?"

"Lombax technology that has been left on the planet for nearly as long as I have been alive. Left in my care for the hopeful repopulation of the Lombax race... The planet is pretty much mine and I can have whatever I want on it and I can do whatever I want to there. You are talking to the Prince and the Last of the Lombaxes here."

"... ... And what about your companion's "little" lab. I'm very curious where he's getting all that technology an-"

"The Clock is off limits." Ratchet placed both of his hands down on the table and leaned into the light shining over the table. "Always has and always will be."

There was a few moments of silence between the Lombax and the hooded figure on the other end of the table.

"Fine. I'll leave the Clock alone... For now."

"Good luck with that. I may not live forever, but Clank and the Zoni will." Ratchet sat back down and allowed the figure to continue searching through the selected planets.

"Shaar? What's so private about a former DreadZone broadcasting planet?"

"As you said, Former. Ever since the DreadZone show was... "canceled", all it's hotspot planets have grown outstandingly quiet. Since all the camera's either shut down or the backup batteries died and the cameras either blew up from falling, or they were damaged in their falls. There's some authentic Vox tech there now left behind by the said Vox family."

"And explain this piece of Quantos."

"I though maybe you'd like a little place for spirit walking and meditating."

"I find that very humorous." The hooded figure said with a tone of anger in his voice.

"I did too." Ratchet smirked at the glowing red eyes under the black hood. He knew exactly who was under the hood. The voice gave it away the instant he heard him on the phone. The only reason why he was helping the hooded figure was due to two events. The figure saving a uncharted sector on a previous adventure and on one instance where this man saved his life not too long ago.

"Alright. I'll take... This sector of Fastoon." The figure slipped out a red marker and circle the wanted sector and slid other files to be selected.

"This temple on Shaar, and... I'll take the sector on Quantos. Can we make that a deal?"

"Deal. But keep in mind. The authorities may not be watching you, but I will be."

"I'll behave if you don't anger me."

"I can't promise that I can keep Qwark away though. He'll be bound to show up at one point or another."

"You know... I still know how to make his death look more like a accident."

"I'd ask how, but then Clank would kill me and make it look like I died on the toilet or something that'll embarrass me for my eternal afterlife... So, how would you make it look like an accident?"

"Simple really..."

* * *

I don't think there's no point in asking you guys because it's pretty obvious, but I wanna see who can answer it the fastest.

Who do you think is the hooded figure? (First person who gets it right gets a sneak peek at the next chapter!)

And as always, I'll see you guys later!

 _ **~Jak Cooper the Lombax**_


	2. Chapter 2: The Problem and The Profit

**Disclaimer: Ratchet and Clank are owned by Insomniac Games and Sony. I own nothing.**

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"So, how have you been, Nefarious." Ratchet sighed as he propped his feet up on the table as Lawrence handed the Lombax a small cup of herbal tea and returned to his dusting chore over at the still being watched and rewatched Secret Agent Clank holovison set.

"As you saw when you landed, I've been profiting on my projects."

"Yeah. I'll admit it. Your iron socks are phenomenal on the robotic clothing market." Ratchet chuckled as he took a small sip to test Lawrence's tea brewing skills. For a butler, they were that of the second highest in Ratchet's opinion. Sigmund's will forever be unbeatable, but Lawrence's comes pretty close.

"I thought so. Now, to discuss my findings while I wandered Fastoon on a walk." With this, Nefarious lifted a duffle bag and dropped it on the table next to Ratchet's feet.

"Lombax technology and some trinkets I think that will interest you." Ratchet pulled his feet off the table and set the tea cup on the table and slid the bag over to himself. Upon opening the bag, he saw tablets with cracked screens and a golden helm that would fit a Praetorian Guard snuggly, but was a size or two too big for Ratchet. Lifting the helm out, Ratchet saw the visor had been smashed out by either a blaster shot or a swing of a Drophyd synthetic arm.

Ratchet looked up from the helm to see Nefarious standing over his computer and typing something either onto the Holo-Net or onto a document to be printed off later. Upon returning to the scavenged items, Ratchet saw a dirt covered handle. Upon pulling the handle out, he saw that the object was a Omni Wrench, but this was unlike any Omni Wrench Ratchet has held before. The handle itself was morphed into an S shape, and the head had locations where electricity would arc when a switch was flipped. Unlike Alister's wrench or Ratchet's, this one looked as if it was never made by a Lombax. Rough handed Lombax was carved into the handle and Ratchet only learned a few letters from Talwyn. The only letter Ratchet recognized was the first letter, and it was even questionable with the young Lombax's knowledge of his species' language.

Putting the wrench down on the table, Ratchet tore himself away from the non-Lombax wrench. Going back to clawing through the objects Nefarious found. Rusted prices of armor that had signs of fatal wounds, old pictures of Lombax families long gone, and a old blanket with yet another name in Lombax stitched into it.

"I can help you read Lombax, you know." Nefarious blinked as he saw the hurt in Ratchet's eyes from the Lombax seeing more of the language of his people and not being able to read it.

"No. I want to figure it out on my own. Thank you for offering." Ratchet turned Nefarious' knowledge to both of the robots' surprise.

"Strange creatures, Lombaxes are... Well, if I may correct myself. Such a strange creature, this Lombax is." Lawrence spoke his thought on Ratchet's action on the offer.

Nefarious simply drummed his fingers on his desk for a few moments before he simply sighed and gave a shrug.

"Alright then. Just let me know when you want me to help." With that, Nefarious sat down in his office chair and started browsing the Holo-net for needed chemicals and elements to order for a new project.

Ratchet had already gone back to searching through the large bag for any other items linked to the abandoned planet. Several articles of obviously feminine garments, mostly highly fancy dresses with the rest being skirts and blouses, and at the very bottom of the bag was a picture of a certain young Cragmite.

"Where did you find this?" Nefarious looked up to see Ratchet holding a picture up to his optic sensors.

"I found it a few kilometers from the Court of Azimuth. Westward from the Court to be precise."

"Where?" Ratchet asked in a more harsh tone.

"Alright. Here are the coordinates, but I'll say it here and now, there's nothing but old blood stained dirt and broken foundations there." Nefarious sent the coordinates from his computer to Aphelion with Ratchet watching over his shoulder.

"You're coming with me."

"Do you really trust me to come with you?"

"You'll have the authorities all over you once you make the Lombax race run extinct. And I have no power to protect you when I'm lying dead in your bloodstained hands." With that, Nefarious stood up, and ordered Lawrence to lock the place up and let no one but the Lombax and him in.

* * *

"Is this it?"

"No. Second one over."

"That one?"

"Yes."

"Nefarious..."

"That's the one. Don't question my memory, young Lombax."

"I'll take that with a grain of salt."

* * *

Ratchet was straining his ears for any sound as he turned on a flashlight and slowly stepped down into the pitch black basement.

"I didn't find the picture down there, Squishy." Nefarious stated as he squinted at Ratchet going down to the basement.

"I just want to see something. If you hear me, in any way possible, then get down here as fast as you can. Got it?" Ratchet stopped and looked back at Nefarious for a confirmation. The reply he received was a short nod and a sigh.

"Don't break my trust, Nefarious." With that, Ratchet slowly made his way down to the basement. Upon Ratchet setting his foot on cold concrete, the Lombax looked into the enclosed space to see what story the foster home for the war orphaned Cragmite.

"What do you have to tell me, Percival." Ratchet whispered as he looked at all the faded drawings hung up on the walls with a few random toys strewn about on the floor.

Seeing the Cragmite's childhood loneliness and anger expressed in either paper that showed tear drops or red crayon bashed onto the paper so hard that it left wrinkles where a Lombax covered in red would be.

The more Ratchet saw, the more he finally saw why Percival went insane.

"Loneliness was your friend." Ratchet mumbled as he saw the tale that was to be told, and to further the tale, Ratchet moved his right foot to feel it thump against something hollow, but solid at the same time. Looking down, Ratchet saw a book with a faded brown cover with golden text on the cover.

Lifting and opening the book to the first page, and Ratchet's relief, Tachyon had written book in Basic. Turns out Tachyon was multilingual with Markizian curse words on the drawings and Lombax on school papers.

The first entry was dated to almost thirty years ago, roughly around the time of Tachyon being four to at most seven years old. The grammar and spelling obviously gave the age range away.

 _"...Sdupid Lomackes! I will kiwl them all. Dey dont now what I fewl when dey hert me..."_

Ratchet closed the book and slipped it into the scavenger's bag on his side that he grabbed before he left Nefarious' headquarters.

"What else do you have to give, buddy? I'm all ears." The Lombax exhaled as he explored more of the Cragmite's childhood basement. Something about people and wanting to live underground or under something seems common. The Progs and their little cave under the orphanage, Nefarious had a base underwater, and heck, Ratchet himself scrambled under the bed now and again after a serious night terror and he didn't mind camping in a cave when there was no other choice.

"Ratchet? Are you still alive down there?" Nefarious shouted sarcastically from up in the former living room.

"I'm fine." Ratchet shouted back up to Nefarious as he found more journals and diaries scattered around a small book shelf. It looked as though Tachyon had quite a story to tell.

And it was quite a story.

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Don't worry. This is only the beginning.

 ** _~Jak Cooper the Lombax_**


End file.
